The Album Drabble Challenge
by Snowblazehollyleafstar
Summary: A series of drabbles based around the album "ABBA Gold Greatest Hits" for the Album Drabble Challenge on Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges. Latest chapters: Theo and Daphne's marriage is breaking down, and maybe they should just accept it. (Knowing Me, Knowing You) Long before Quidditch, Angelina's first love had always been dancing. (Dancing Queen)
1. Dancing Queen

Written for: The Album Drabble Challenge: (song) Dancing Queen, (wordcount) 342-362 words

Are You Crazy Enough To Do It Challenge: (restriction) No dialogue but has to be at least 150 words

Word count: 352 words without Author's Note.

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Long before Quidditch, Angelina's first love had always been dancing. She'd first got into it when she was five and seemingly everyone in her class at school had been doing ballet. That hadn't really been her thing, but it had given her a taste for dance which she'd never lost. She'd tried all kinds of genres: classical, ballroom, contemporary, even street dance, and loved them all.

Since starting Hogwarts, she'd been less able to indulge her passion, but she'd never quite forgotten how it felt to fly around the dance floor in the arms of her partner, to have such precise control over her body and be the star of the performance.

That was why she'd been looking forward to the Yule Ball so much, why this night would always be special for her, why she knew she would never forget it.

And she couldn't have wished for a better partner than Fred Weasley. She'd never really seen him as much of a dancer, and he wasn't, but he was a lot better than she'd expected: he was surprisingly light on his feet and hadn't stepped on her toes once.

Not to mention that, in his way, he was kind of attractive. The way he'd asked her so casually, in front of so many people… it had made her feel so special.

It was a pity she wasn't Triwizard champion: this night would have been far more magical if she'd been there with Fred in the centre of the ballroom floor, starting these dances. Cedric and Harry had shown themselves to be worthy of the honour, though, and she would be cheering on both of them in the next tasks.

But it was enough for her to have what she did have, to be gliding across the floor again, in the arms of a boy she liked, to have wings on her heels as she did now. This night was everything she'd dreamt of for so long, and more.

For one night, she was no longer Angelina Johnson, Chaser, Hogwarts sixth-year, with all the responsibilities that entailed.

She was the dancing queen.


	2. Knowing Me, Knowing You

Written for: The Album Drabble Challenge: (Song) Knowing Me, Knowing You

Are You Crazy Enough To Do It Challenge: (character) Theo Nott

Word count: 402 words, excluding Author's Note

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"This isn't working."

Theo had hoped never to hear those words. He knew what had happened was mostly his fault, but that still didn't make it any easier to deal with. "No, Daph, it's fine. I know I shouldn't have spent that time with Pansy when you were away. It's… I… I love her, but I love you in a completely different way. I came back to you. Because I love you."

"I love you too," replied Daphne. "But… it's not enough. You must see; you must understand… I can't do this anymore. I have to go."

Theo couldn't face this. His marriage was breaking down before his eyes. "But the children – "

"The children are old enough now that they can live without both of us," Daphne said firmly. "I'll miss you, Theo, but it's for the best."

Theo felt his eyes beginning to fill with tears. He remembered playing with Daphne and the three children, letting them win at Exploding Snap and laughing when the cards blew up in his face. Now there was just a heavy silence filling the house.

In the back of his mind, there was a slowly dawning acceptance that maybe Daphne was right. Maybe his efforts to keep this relationship alive weren't worthwhile. The spirit had gone out of it a long time ago; ever since the children had left for Hogwarts things hadn't been the same between the two of them, and what was gone was never coming back.

Maybe it was for the best, for them both, to move on from each other and start new, independent lives instead of staying together in the ashes of a fire which had long since burnt out.

"Perhaps you're right," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologise for," said Daphne. "I'll always regret it but staying together won't bring back the past."

"I know," whispered Theo. "I know."

He held out his hand to her; she took it and stepped closer, gently wrapping one arm around his body. Theo pulled her deeper into the gentle hug, and took comfort from it, from this last precious moment he would share with Daphne.

It seemed to last forever, but it ended, as all moments must do. She finally pulled away, tears brimming in her eyes, and looked up at him.

"This is goodbye," she said softly.

"Yes," Theo admitted, voice small and sad. "This is goodbye."


	3. Take A Chance On Me

Written for:

The Album Drabble Challenge: (song) Take A Chance on Me, (wordcount) 392-412 words

Are You Crazy Enough To Do It Challenge, prompt 384: (restriction) no using the word "and".

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Assignment 4, First Aid task 10 (instant cold packs): write something set on a winter day/night

Word count: 402 words, excluding author's note.

The night was freezing cold, but that had never kept Ginny away from a chance to fly. Nor had the fact that she wasn't supposed to be flying late at night, unsupervised, especially not "borrowing" the school's brooms. She had been sensible – as sensible as she ever was – by wearing an old slightly-too-small coat which didn't keep the chill off very well.

She swung one leg over the battered old broom with a smile. As she pushed off from the ground into the air, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about Harry. It was heart-breaking knowing that she could have gone to the Yule Ball with him if she hadn't accepted Neville first, but she could cope.

After all, she knew she'd win Harry over eventually. If she stuck with him, if she was always there, then sooner or later there would be a moment when he needed her. In that moment she would be there. She knew in her heart; she was certain of it as she'd never been certain of anything before. She was going to get him.

In the meantime, she was determined to savour every last moment with him. Any interaction, any time spent together, was a magical moment. As the wind whipped her hair, chilling her bones, the thought of Harry's smile kept her warm.

She found herself smiling, too, even as she shivered. This night might be cold, lonely, but she was filled with the happiness which nothing but Harry could give her. One day, she swore, Harry would feel the same way about her. They would be happy together, just spending every second with each other, content with only each other's company.

Somehow, she would convince him to love her. Hermione's advice had been helpful: if she was just there, a constant presence, then sooner or later he would see her for Ginny Weasley, not the shy, blushing fangirl she had been.

Filled with daring that night, she gripped the broom between her legs, then stooped into a fast, steep, reckless dive, pulling up at the last possible second with the thrill of danger running through her veins.

She ascended slowly until she was back at the height she'd been before her dive, longing to do it again. Wondering what would happen if Harry decided to take a walk in the middle of the night, saw her here. He would take a chance on her.


End file.
